1954 Ceccato 175cc Turismo
Frame no. 05211
Engine no. 05211

Few motorcycle enthusiasts outside its native Italy are likely to have heard of Ceccato, though its stylish and well made products are unmistakably Italian. The company was founded in 1948 by pharmacist Pietro Ceccato, occupying premises at Montecchio Maggiore and then Alte Ceccato near Vicenza in northern Italy. Ceccato started out by producing a 38cc (later 48cc) moped - the Romeo - before developing a range of lightweight motorcycles. Powered by an overhead-camshaft engine designed by the legendary Fabio Taglioni, who would be responsible for Ducati's desmodromic valve system, a 75cc Ceccato won its class in the 1955 Moto Giro d'Italia. That engine, Taglioni's first, brought him to the attention of Ducati and following a spell with Mondial he joined the company in 1954. As well as motorcycles, Ceccato produced bicycles, air compressors, gas cylinders and service station equipment, and remained active in those fields after it ceased motorcycle manufacture in 1963. It is still in existence today. An older restoration with only 1 kilometre recorded since completion, this rare Ceccato was imported from a private collection near Lake Como, northern Italy and is a past participant in the Moto Giro d'Italia. It should require only light re-commissioning and usual safety checks before being ready for use, and would respond well to detailing. The machine is offered with old Italian registration documents and is expected to have completed the NOVA procedure by time of sale.